What ultimately made the difference between the Knicks and the Pacers in this conference semi-final? Myles Turner responds by mentioning the physical aspect, Indiana having been able to get up to speed.
But Tyrese Haliburton wants to add something. “ I also want to say that our depth also played a role” explains the leader. “It was huge. We have the best bench in the NBA. We are the team with the highest density in the NBA, with five or six guys who are ready to respond when we call on them. It's what separates us from the rest so I really wanted to pay homage to our bench, because they keep our energy alive. »
With TJ McConnell as leader, the tireless 6th man having once again been very valuable, with his 12 points at 6/8 shooting and 7 assists, for a +/- of +21 in just 24 minutes on the floor.
It is therefore no coincidence that Rick Carlisle restarted it in the third quarter, when the Knicks seemed to be getting back into the game. At -7 (77-70), New York could believe in it again, but the replacement carried out a few key actions, continuing his defensive undermining work on Jalen Brunson, before the latter got injured.
“His energy is incredible. When I was traded here, I was excited because I knew I was going to have the best backup point guard in the league to back me up.” Tyrese Haliburton flatly drops his back-up, so valuable for him and the Pacers. “During the last two seasons, we have developed our game alongside each other, when he comes in for me or takes charge of the game when I don't do it well. It's a lot of fun to play with him. How can you not love playing with TJ McConnell? His energy, his toughness, he’s incredible. »
